The present invention generally relates to microparticles and, in particular, to systems and methods for encapsulation within microparticles. In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to microparticles containing entities therein, where the entities contain an agent that can be released from the microparticles, e.g., via diffusion. In some cases, the agent may be released from the microparticles without disruption of the microparticles. The entities may be, for instance, polymeric particles, hydrogel particles, droplets of fluid, etc. The entities may be contained within a fluid that is, in turn, encapsulated within the microparticle. The agent may be released from the entity into the fluid, and then from the fluid through the microparticle. In such fashion, the release of agent from the microparticle may be controlled, e.g., over relatively long time scales. Other embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to methods of making such microparticles, methods of using such microparticles, microfluidic devices for making such microparticles, and the like.

The contacting device for countercurrent contacting of fluid streams and having a first pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades and a second pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades. The deflector blades in each one of the grids are interleaved with the deflector blades in the paired intersecting grid and may have uncut side portions that join them together along a transverse strip where the deflector blades cross each other or adjacent opposed ends of the deflector blades and cut side portions that extend from the uncut side portions to the ends of the deflector blades. At least some of the deflector blades have directional tabs and associated openings to allow portions of the fluid streams to pass through the deflector blades to facilitate mixing of the fluid streams.

A quenching process for quenching a flowing first fluid with a flowing second fluid may involve a first hollow pipe for containing the flowing first fluid and a second hollow pipe for containing the flowing second fluid; dividing the flowing second fluid into a first baffle flow along a first side of a longitudinal baffle and a second baffle flow along a second side of the longitudinal baffle within the second hollow pipe; providing a transverse baffle protruding from the longitudinal baffle for directing the first baffle flow from a first baffle flow outlet and the second baffle flow from a second baffle flow outlet in the second hollow pipe and into the flowing first fluid in the first hollow pipe; and configuring an area of the first baffle flow outlet area to be greater than or equal to an area of the second baffle flow outlet area.

A counterflow mixing device for a process chamber is disclosed, comprising an injection tube that introduces a fluid in a manner counter to a flow of a post-plasma gas mixture traveling downward from a plasma source. The invention allows for proper mixing of the fluid as well as avoiding recombination of generated ions and radicals.

A system for mixing ammonia (reductant) with engine exhaust includes an exhaust flow created by a vehicle engine, an ammonia feed line passing into the exhaust flow, an injector connected to the feed line and positioned within the exhaust flow, the injector having at least one port for discharging ammonia into the exhaust flow, and a mixing plate positioned within the exhaust flow downstream of the ammonia injector and stabilizing at least one of either the feed line and the injector. An aspect of the invention is to stabilize the injector by attaching the mixing plate to the feed line to provide such stability. Alternatively or additionally, the mixing plate is attached to the injector to stabilize. The feed line may even pass through the mixing plate.

A mixer and a method therein, including feeding a rotating flow of exhaust gas in a mixing pipe towards a turning end of a mixing chamber; dosing reactant by a doser against the rotating flow around a centreline of the mixing pipe; maintaining a guide around the doser such that a front face of the guide faces the rotating flow, and the guide defines a central opening surrounding the doser; guiding a side flow out of the rotating flow to a carrier flow around the doser via the central opening; and inhibiting by the guide turbulence from being transferred from the side flow to the carrier flow.

A passive blender for introducing a mixer gas into a grid gas pipeline. The blender has an input section extending from an input inlet from which grid gas enters the blender to an input outlet along a longitudinal axis of the blender, wherein the input section reduces in cross-section from the input inlet to the input outlet and the longitudinal axis of the blender. The blender also has a mixer extending from a mixer inlet to a mixer outlet along the longitudinal axis of the blender, wherein the mixer inlet is positioned immediately adjacent the input outlet. The blender also has an output section extending from an outlet inlet to an output outlet along the longitudinal axis of the blender, wherein the output inlet is positioned immediately adjacent the mixer outlet.

A multi-directional contactor apparatus configured to utilize co-current and counter current flow to contact a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the second fluid is more dense than the first fluid. The contactor comprises a chamber partially divided by a vertically extending weir, a first inlet port permitting the first fluid to enter the chamber, a second inlet port positioned above the first inlet port and permitting the second fluid to enter the chamber. Countercurrent and co-current contact of the first and second liquids occurs on one side of the weir. The weir separates the co-current contacted second fluid stream from the countercurrent contacted second fluid stream and allows the separated streams to be released from the chamber. The co-current and countercurrent contacted first fluid is released from an upper portion of the tank.

Provided is an ultra-fine bubble generator capable of efficiently generating ultra-fine bubbles in fluid. The generator is a fluid activating device including: a shaft in a cylindrical columnar shape; a tubular body provided with a hollow part to accommodate the shaft with a predetermined interval between an inner peripheral surface of the hollow part and an outer peripheral surface of the shaft; and multiple blades that are provided between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the tubular body while forming a flow path extending spirally from one end of the tubular body toward another end of the tubular body, and that generate a turbulent flow in fluid flowing in the flow path, the tubular body having an inner peripheral surface provided with multiple ribs each composed of a ridge extending in an axial direction of the shaft.

Provided is a fluid mixing device comprising: a chamber that provides a mixing space in which different types of fluids are introduced and mixed with one another and a storage space in which a mixture of the fluids mixed in the mixing space is stored; a mixing unit that is provided in the mixing space formed in the chamber to discharge and mix the different types of fluids; a measurement unit that is provided in the storage space provided in the chamber to measure physical property values of the fluid mixture stored in the storage space; and a discharge unit that discharges the fluid mixture stored in the storage space to the outside on the basis of measurement values measured by the measurement unit.